29 January 2007

HCMC House 9

There seems to be a current tendency in house architecture in Ho Chi Minh City to mix modernist and historicist styles. This house in District 7 of HCMC exhibits this pull from a strong modernist statement towards the addition of disparate elements such as gable roof ends (almost always a false front).

When I first saw this house in the bright light of the heat of the day, I didn't notice the gable end at the roof because the modernist frame is so strong. It was only after viewing the photo that I realized how flawed this design had become.

The bottom two-thirds of the frame has been shifted to the left so the frame is narrower on the left edge. Elements within the frame have been crudely added to rebalance the weight, but why dillute the strong frame by unbalancing it? On the whole, a strong idea has been watered down by irrational impulses.

Comments

HCMC House 9

There seems to be a current tendency in house architecture in Ho Chi Minh City to mix modernist and historicist styles. This house in District 7 of HCMC exhibits this pull from a strong modernist statement towards the addition of disparate elements such as gable roof ends (almost always a false front).

When I first saw this house in the bright light of the heat of the day, I didn't notice the gable end at the roof because the modernist frame is so strong. It was only after viewing the photo that I realized how flawed this design had become.

The bottom two-thirds of the frame has been shifted to the left so the frame is narrower on the left edge. Elements within the frame have been crudely added to rebalance the weight, but why dillute the strong frame by unbalancing it? On the whole, a strong idea has been watered down by irrational impulses.